Book Title: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Author: Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Entry 1
Date: September 1, 2009
Summary: The first section of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which is set right after World War II, explains how the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society came to be. Miss Juliet Ashton, who writes an article for the Times, recieves a letter from a man called Dawsey Adams, who has one of Juliet's old books. In the letter Adams mentions his society, and the name naturally makes Juliet curious. Through more letters, she learns how Dawsey Adams and his neighbors were nearly caught by the Germans with a stolen roast pig and had to quickly invent a reason to explain why they were all up so late at one house. Even though this book club is originally started to throw German suspicion, the members find they actually like to read books, and decide to continue the society after the war has ended, which is how the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society came to be.
Reaction: I think it's interesting how this book club the poor islanders were forced to start (it was that or a concentration camp) brought together people who wouldn't normally be friends and united them with a common interest they didn't know they had... books! Also, I wonder what role Juliet Ashton will play in this book? I don't think she would move from her London home to find out more about this small island, or join the society.
Q-words: libel, gristle, blue-stockings, jilt - to reject or cast aside (a lover or sweetheart), esp. abruptly or unfeelingly.
Entry 2
Date: September 3, 2009
Summary: This next part of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society introduces Juliet's suitor and her proposition for the society. When Juliet weasles American Publisher Mark Reynold's address out of the boy who's been delivering her mountains of flowers, she writes him a letter, and they eventually end up dating. Juliet then asks Dawsey Adams if she could write an article for the Times about the Guernsey Society. The society discusses it and asks for a refrence of Juliet first. Once they get the refrences and learn about Juliet's interesting childhood, they decide to let her do the article. During all of this Juliet's publisher Sidney has disappeared, and she finds out he went to Australia to nurse a war veteran back to health. Overall, the main parts of this section are about Juliet's suitor and Juliet's decision to write an article about the society.
Reaction: An article about the Society would be very interesting. They must have some neat stories about their experiences in the war! What will happen with Mark Reynolds? Is he trying to get Juliet to switch to his publishing business, or is he really just interested in her?
Q-words: diabolical, unscrupulous, caveat - a warning or caution; admonition
Entry 3
Date: September 8, 2009
Summary: In the third section of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Juliet Ashton learns more about the society through each member's story. She learns how reading has helped each member, from giving them something to do during the early curfew hours to impressing their future wives. A lady named Adelaide Addison writes to tell Miss Ashton how horrible the society is, and how it's made of unrespectable people, including a witch and a rag-and-bone man. From a man named Eben Ramsey, Juliet learns how the islanders first obtained the roast pig that was the main course at the fateful dinner. Juliet recieves a telegram from her publisher in Australia telling her he broke his leg and won't be back until it's healed. Adelaide Addison sends Juliet another letter telling her about a bright, independent lady named Elizabeth whose quick thinking started the society. According to Adelaide Elizabeth nearly married a German officer. She was then caught hiding prisoners and sent to a concentration camp, and hasn't been heard from since. In a letter to a friend, Juliet confesses to her friend that she is falling in love with Markam Reynolds. With the stories from the islanders and her publisher's broken leg a lot happens in this third section of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
Reaction: The stories were very interesting, everyone had such a different take on how the society got started and what happened to them through it. I wonder if they'll ever see Elizabeth again? She sounds like a neat lady, even though some say she's just problematic. That would be awful if they found out she died in the concentration camp.
Q-words: uncanny, coif, convalescence - the gradual recovery of health and strength after illness
Entry 4
Date: September 9, 2009
Summary: This section of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society describes Adelaide Addison, Guernsey Island's history and more of Juliet's background. Dawsey Adams writes Juliet to give her a more accurate view of why some islanders made friends with or even dated the Germans, setting Adelaide's complaints straight. More letters from islanders about their experiences arrive, and a lady named Amelia suggests that Juliet should write a book about their stories, before one of the less educated islanders get the idea. Another society member asks Juliet to describe herself and her past in detail, so Juliet tells her more about her troubled childhood and her friend Sophie who changed her life for the better. While all these events are happening Juliet is dating Mark Reynolds and her publisher is still stuck in Australia. In this section of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, more is explained about Juliet, Guernsey, and Adelaide Addison.
Reaction: A lot of the things people did in the war were done for different reasons than they would have been out of the war. These stories show just how hard it was to survive the German occupation, and some of the things they had to do to make sure they did. I wonder when Juliet's publisher is ever going to get back?
Q-words: finagle- to trick, swindle or cheat (a person)
Entry 5
Date: September 15, 2009
Summary: In this part of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Juliet turns down a marriage proposal and decides to travel to Guernsey. In the beginning of this section Juliet learns about the islanders sending their children to England for the war, and how hard it was for families to do that. Afterwards, Mark Reynolds asks her to dinner, and she accepts. However, at dinner she does not accept his marriage proposal, because she feels she hasn't known him long enough. Juliet then decides to visit her new friends in Guernsey, and hopefully to write a book out of their stories. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is very excited to have her come, and send her letters telling her about the preparations they're making as well as more stories from the war. After turning down Mark's proposal, Juliet is more than ready to come visit her friends.
Reaction: It will be exciting to see what happens when Juliet finally meets the people from Guernsey! Will Mark get in her way or will he let her go? Maybe when Juliet is down there, Elizabeth will be found.
Q-words: scabies, loquacious- talking or tending to talk much or freely
Entry 6
Date: September 24, 2009
Summary: In this section of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society preparations are made for Juliet's arrival, she arrives, and the society learns what happened to Elizabeth. Amidst arguments with Mark, preparations are made and Juliet comes down to Guernsey by boat. After arriving and getting the grand tour by the society members, Juliet writes to Sidney, describing the people, her cottage, and the different sights she gets to see in her first couple days on the island. She attends a meeting of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and meets Elizabeth's lively daughter, Kit, who becomes extremely attached to Juliet. Kit has a box that she won't let anyone look in, not even the people she trusts most. A letter arrives from a woman named Remy who was rescued from the Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. She was friends with Elizabeth, and told the society how Elizabeth died. Remy's nurse writes as well to tell what she knows. As excited as they are about Juliet's arrival, the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is still devastated over what happened to their dear friend.
Reaction: Elizabeth was a strong, caring lady who wasn't afraid to stand up for what's right. If she had of waited a few days more, she would have been free instead of dead. I wonder what will happen to Kit?
Q-words: gruesome. mnemonics- the process or technique of improving or developing the memory
Entry 7
Date: September 30, 2009
Summary: Throughout this part of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, the society takes in Remy, Sidney comes to visit, and Mark Reynolds is rejected. After the Society learns of Elizabeth's death, they write back to Remy to thank her for telling them, and to ask if Amelia and Dawsey can come to visit her. While there they ask Remy if she'd like to come live with them in Guernsey. She says no, but Dawsey won't take that for an answer, so eventually Remy says yes. Sidney visits Guernsey, and writes back to tell his sister about Juliet's life there. In his letter he describes his take on Dawsey, and how good he'd be for Juliet. Juliet decides to center her story around Elizabeth, and sets out to learn what she can about her. Toward the end of this part Mark Reynolds shows up again: he has travelled to Guernsey to take Juliet home and marry her. Juliet adamantly refuses, and a spurned Mark returns to London. To sum it all up, this section of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society describes Remy, Sidney's visit, and Mark Reynold's exit.
Reaction: I wasn't very suprised Juliet said no to Mark, he wasn't very supportive of her work at all. I wonder if Juliet will end up with Sidney or Dawsey now? Juliet's decision to write her book about Elizabeth is great, she is such a neat character!
Q-words: gullible, mien- air, bearing, or demeanor, as showing character, feeling, etc.
Entry 8
Date: October 1, 2009
Summary: In this section of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Juliet learns more about Dawsey, and discovers that Isola might have some very valuable letters written by the late author Oscar Wilde. Juliet and Dawsey correspond when he goes to bring Remy home, and she over-analyzes everything he says. To give her something new to do, Sidney sends Isola a book about how to read head bumps, so Isola goes around feeling in everyone's hair. While listening to Isola describe what she's learned about people from their head bumps, Juliet learns more about Dawsey, and then discovers that Isola might have eight letters written by Oscar Wilde. A handwriting specialist is brought in, and the letters are confirmed to be from Oscar. Once he hears the news, Sidney sends his secretary Billee Bee to pick up the letters so that with Isola's permission, he can publish them. Juliet is excited to learn more about Dawsey and discover the letters, which is what happens in this section of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
Reaction: Juliet doesn't realize it, but she's falling for Dawsey head over heels. The head bumps thing was an interesting twist to the story, and gave the author a way to indirectly describe the characters. I wonder why Sidney didn't come down to get the letters himself, when he so clearly loves the island?
Q-words: terse- neatly or effectively concise; brief and pithy, as language
Entry 9
Date: October 8, 2009
Summary: This part of the Guernsey LIterary and Potato Peel Pie Society tells about Billee Bee's fraud, an interesting tea party, and Juliet's decision to adopt Kit. When Billee Bee comes to Guernsey, she is warmly welcomed by the islanders, until she tries to steal the letters and sell them to a different publishing company. Once she is sent packing, Juliet and Kit go to a tea party hosted by two elderly sisters, where she throws darts at a portrait of the Duchess of Windsor, who ruined the sisters' idol, the Prince of Wales. Later, Kit finally shows Juliet what is in her secret box (see Entry 6). After Billee Bee, the tea party, and Kit's box, Juliet finally has enough courage to adopt Kit, so she moves permanently to Guernsey and becomes Kit's mother.
Reaction: It's so sweet that Juliet finally decided to adopt Kit. That will be a lively household with those two running the place! All they need now is a husband/father, and I bet that's what comes next.
Q-words: belabor, decadence - the act or process of falling into an inferior condition or state; deterioration; decay
Entry 10
Date: October 8, 2009
Summary: This final section concludes the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Isola takes up detective work now that her head bump-reading is done, and starts watching Dawsey and Remy. She comes to the conclusion that Dawsey is in love with Remy, and after searching his house for more clues, goes and shares her findings with Juliet. Juliet, who is sad because she is secretly in love with Dawsey, listens to what Isola found, and discovers that what Isola thought were clues pointing to Remy are actually clues pointing to her! With this knowledge Juliet runs to Dawsey and asks him to marry her. He says yes, and they all live happily ever after.
Reaction: This was a good book that really illustrated World War II and brought into perspective many things I hadn't learned before. Even though the ending was pretty predictable, it was still a cute story. The only thing I don't like is that Juliet married Dawsey, I think she should have gone with Sidney instead. Overall the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a good book I would reccomend.
Q-words: vaunt, skitter, memento, scruple- a moral or ethical consideration or standard that acts as a restraining force or inhibits certain actions
READING LOG
Book Title: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie SocietyAuthor: Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
Entry 1
Date: September 1, 2009
Summary: The first section of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which is set right after World War II, explains how the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society came to be. Miss Juliet Ashton, who writes an article for the Times, recieves a letter from a man called Dawsey Adams, who has one of Juliet's old books. In the letter Adams mentions his society, and the name naturally makes Juliet curious. Through more letters, she learns how Dawsey Adams and his neighbors were nearly caught by the Germans with a stolen roast pig and had to quickly invent a reason to explain why they were all up so late at one house. Even though this book club is originally started to throw German suspicion, the members find they actually like to read books, and decide to continue the society after the war has ended, which is how the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society came to be.
Reaction: I think it's interesting how this book club the poor islanders were forced to start (it was that or a concentration camp) brought together people who wouldn't normally be friends and united them with a common interest they didn't know they had... books! Also, I wonder what role Juliet Ashton will play in this book? I don't think she would move from her London home to find out more about this small island, or join the society.
Q-words: libel, gristle, blue-stockings, jilt - to reject or cast aside (a lover or sweetheart), esp. abruptly or unfeelingly.
Entry 2
Date: September 3, 2009
Summary: This next part of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society introduces Juliet's suitor and her proposition for the society. When Juliet weasles American Publisher Mark Reynold's address out of the boy who's been delivering her mountains of flowers, she writes him a letter, and they eventually end up dating. Juliet then asks Dawsey Adams if she could write an article for the Times about the Guernsey Society. The society discusses it and asks for a refrence of Juliet first. Once they get the refrences and learn about Juliet's interesting childhood, they decide to let her do the article. During all of this Juliet's publisher Sidney has disappeared, and she finds out he went to Australia to nurse a war veteran back to health. Overall, the main parts of this section are about Juliet's suitor and Juliet's decision to write an article about the society.
Reaction: An article about the Society would be very interesting. They must have some neat stories about their experiences in the war! What will happen with Mark Reynolds? Is he trying to get Juliet to switch to his publishing business, or is he really just interested in her?
Q-words: diabolical, unscrupulous, caveat - a warning or caution; admonition
Entry 3
Date: September 8, 2009
Summary: In the third section of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Juliet Ashton learns more about the society through each member's story. She learns how reading has helped each member, from giving them something to do during the early curfew hours to impressing their future wives. A lady named Adelaide Addison writes to tell Miss Ashton how horrible the society is, and how it's made of unrespectable people, including a witch and a rag-and-bone man. From a man named Eben Ramsey, Juliet learns how the islanders first obtained the roast pig that was the main course at the fateful dinner. Juliet recieves a telegram from her publisher in Australia telling her he broke his leg and won't be back until it's healed. Adelaide Addison sends Juliet another letter telling her about a bright, independent lady named Elizabeth whose quick thinking started the society. According to Adelaide Elizabeth nearly married a German officer. She was then caught hiding prisoners and sent to a concentration camp, and hasn't been heard from since. In a letter to a friend, Juliet confesses to her friend that she is falling in love with Markam Reynolds. With the stories from the islanders and her publisher's broken leg a lot happens in this third section of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
Reaction: The stories were very interesting, everyone had such a different take on how the society got started and what happened to them through it. I wonder if they'll ever see Elizabeth again? She sounds like a neat lady, even though some say she's just problematic. That would be awful if they found out she died in the concentration camp.
Q-words: uncanny, coif, convalescence - the gradual recovery of health and strength after illness
Entry 4
Date: September 9, 2009
Summary: This section of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society describes Adelaide Addison, Guernsey Island's history and more of Juliet's background. Dawsey Adams writes Juliet to give her a more accurate view of why some islanders made friends with or even dated the Germans, setting Adelaide's complaints straight. More letters from islanders about their experiences arrive, and a lady named Amelia suggests that Juliet should write a book about their stories, before one of the less educated islanders get the idea. Another society member asks Juliet to describe herself and her past in detail, so Juliet tells her more about her troubled childhood and her friend Sophie who changed her life for the better. While all these events are happening Juliet is dating Mark Reynolds and her publisher is still stuck in Australia. In this section of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, more is explained about Juliet, Guernsey, and Adelaide Addison.
Reaction: A lot of the things people did in the war were done for different reasons than they would have been out of the war. These stories show just how hard it was to survive the German occupation, and some of the things they had to do to make sure they did. I wonder when Juliet's publisher is ever going to get back?
Q-words: finagle- to trick, swindle or cheat (a person)
Entry 5
Date: September 15, 2009
Summary: In this part of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Juliet turns down a marriage proposal and decides to travel to Guernsey. In the beginning of this section Juliet learns about the islanders sending their children to England for the war, and how hard it was for families to do that. Afterwards, Mark Reynolds asks her to dinner, and she accepts. However, at dinner she does not accept his marriage proposal, because she feels she hasn't known him long enough. Juliet then decides to visit her new friends in Guernsey, and hopefully to write a book out of their stories. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is very excited to have her come, and send her letters telling her about the preparations they're making as well as more stories from the war. After turning down Mark's proposal, Juliet is more than ready to come visit her friends.
Reaction: It will be exciting to see what happens when Juliet finally meets the people from Guernsey! Will Mark get in her way or will he let her go? Maybe when Juliet is down there, Elizabeth will be found.
Q-words: scabies, loquacious- talking or tending to talk much or freely
Entry 6
Date: September 24, 2009
Summary: In this section of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society preparations are made for Juliet's arrival, she arrives, and the society learns what happened to Elizabeth. Amidst arguments with Mark, preparations are made and Juliet comes down to Guernsey by boat. After arriving and getting the grand tour by the society members, Juliet writes to Sidney, describing the people, her cottage, and the different sights she gets to see in her first couple days on the island. She attends a meeting of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and meets Elizabeth's lively daughter, Kit, who becomes extremely attached to Juliet. Kit has a box that she won't let anyone look in, not even the people she trusts most. A letter arrives from a woman named Remy who was rescued from the Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. She was friends with Elizabeth, and told the society how Elizabeth died. Remy's nurse writes as well to tell what she knows. As excited as they are about Juliet's arrival, the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is still devastated over what happened to their dear friend.
Reaction: Elizabeth was a strong, caring lady who wasn't afraid to stand up for what's right. If she had of waited a few days more, she would have been free instead of dead. I wonder what will happen to Kit?
Q-words: gruesome. mnemonics- the process or technique of improving or developing the memory
Entry 7
Date: September 30, 2009
Summary: Throughout this part of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, the society takes in Remy, Sidney comes to visit, and Mark Reynolds is rejected. After the Society learns of Elizabeth's death, they write back to Remy to thank her for telling them, and to ask if Amelia and Dawsey can come to visit her. While there they ask Remy if she'd like to come live with them in Guernsey. She says no, but Dawsey won't take that for an answer, so eventually Remy says yes. Sidney visits Guernsey, and writes back to tell his sister about Juliet's life there. In his letter he describes his take on Dawsey, and how good he'd be for Juliet. Juliet decides to center her story around Elizabeth, and sets out to learn what she can about her. Toward the end of this part Mark Reynolds shows up again: he has travelled to Guernsey to take Juliet home and marry her. Juliet adamantly refuses, and a spurned Mark returns to London. To sum it all up, this section of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society describes Remy, Sidney's visit, and Mark Reynold's exit.
Reaction: I wasn't very suprised Juliet said no to Mark, he wasn't very supportive of her work at all. I wonder if Juliet will end up with Sidney or Dawsey now? Juliet's decision to write her book about Elizabeth is great, she is such a neat character!
Q-words: gullible, mien- air, bearing, or demeanor, as showing character, feeling, etc.
Entry 8
Date: October 1, 2009
Summary: In this section of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Juliet learns more about Dawsey, and discovers that Isola might have some very valuable letters written by the late author Oscar Wilde. Juliet and Dawsey correspond when he goes to bring Remy home, and she over-analyzes everything he says. To give her something new to do, Sidney sends Isola a book about how to read head bumps, so Isola goes around feeling in everyone's hair. While listening to Isola describe what she's learned about people from their head bumps, Juliet learns more about Dawsey, and then discovers that Isola might have eight letters written by Oscar Wilde. A handwriting specialist is brought in, and the letters are confirmed to be from Oscar. Once he hears the news, Sidney sends his secretary Billee Bee to pick up the letters so that with Isola's permission, he can publish them. Juliet is excited to learn more about Dawsey and discover the letters, which is what happens in this section of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
Reaction: Juliet doesn't realize it, but she's falling for Dawsey head over heels. The head bumps thing was an interesting twist to the story, and gave the author a way to indirectly describe the characters. I wonder why Sidney didn't come down to get the letters himself, when he so clearly loves the island?
Q-words: terse- neatly or effectively concise; brief and pithy, as language
Entry 9
Date: October 8, 2009
Summary: This part of the Guernsey LIterary and Potato Peel Pie Society tells about Billee Bee's fraud, an interesting tea party, and Juliet's decision to adopt Kit. When Billee Bee comes to Guernsey, she is warmly welcomed by the islanders, until she tries to steal the letters and sell them to a different publishing company. Once she is sent packing, Juliet and Kit go to a tea party hosted by two elderly sisters, where she throws darts at a portrait of the Duchess of Windsor, who ruined the sisters' idol, the Prince of Wales. Later, Kit finally shows Juliet what is in her secret box (see Entry 6). After Billee Bee, the tea party, and Kit's box, Juliet finally has enough courage to adopt Kit, so she moves permanently to Guernsey and becomes Kit's mother.
Reaction: It's so sweet that Juliet finally decided to adopt Kit. That will be a lively household with those two running the place! All they need now is a husband/father, and I bet that's what comes next.
Q-words: belabor, decadence - the act or process of falling into an inferior condition or state; deterioration; decay
Entry 10
Date: October 8, 2009
Summary: This final section concludes the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Isola takes up detective work now that her head bump-reading is done, and starts watching Dawsey and Remy. She comes to the conclusion that Dawsey is in love with Remy, and after searching his house for more clues, goes and shares her findings with Juliet. Juliet, who is sad because she is secretly in love with Dawsey, listens to what Isola found, and discovers that what Isola thought were clues pointing to Remy are actually clues pointing to her! With this knowledge Juliet runs to Dawsey and asks him to marry her. He says yes, and they all live happily ever after.
Reaction: This was a good book that really illustrated World War II and brought into perspective many things I hadn't learned before. Even though the ending was pretty predictable, it was still a cute story. The only thing I don't like is that Juliet married Dawsey, I think she should have gone with Sidney instead. Overall the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a good book I would reccomend.
Q-words: vaunt, skitter, memento, scruple- a moral or ethical consideration or standard that acts as a restraining force or inhibits certain actions